Stand up for the Arts Meeting tonight at 7pm at the Scotiabank Dance Theatre

A public meeting has been called for 7 p.m. on Monday, September 27 at the Scotia Bank Dance Centre to discuss what the community can do to change the way the arts are perceived in this province.

“Are you in danger of losing your job to BC arts cuts?” asks the invitation to this gathering. “Is the arts organization that you are a member of hanging on by its fingernails due to the funding cuts to BC Gaming?  Are these cuts being used as a testing ground to dismantle not only the arts as a discipline but to question and undermine core values of a culturally diverse civil society? 

“Is your exhibition, performance, play, dance or screening about to be or is already cancelled due to cuts?

“Don’t get upset – get active!  And do something about it!

“We need to empower ourselves as people who believe in the value of the arts.  We need to start educating everyone about how the arts are integral to the human experience.

“We invite all people - those who acknowledge the value of the arts, enjoy it, create it, support it, buy it, live from it, or who simply like all things healthy, mind enriching, thought-provoking. This is an important opportunity to bring your ideas forward and work together to brainstorm how to get our message across.  We welcome all ideas – be they radical, innovative, daring or dangerous!” 

Find more information at the The Stand Up For the Arts! Public Meeting Facebook page or contact  

Brenda Leadlay at brenda@phtheatre.org, Elaine Carol at elaine-c@mdi.ca or Mirna Zagar at executivedirector@thedancecentre.ca